May 2017

Camilafrom

BurlingtonCentral

to

Italy

“Loading …99%”

In reality, I’m only at 83%, with 58 days left in Italy, but every moment here goes by sofast that I already feel like I’m in those last few days, slowly reaching 99%.

This past weekend I went to help at an outbound orientation and when the Rotariansbegan to hand out papers to the new host families, saying a little bit about each arrivingexchange student, I realized that I was in that same position just a year ago. Every time I thinkabout how far away those months feel, I get nostalgic about this country that I'll have to leave intwo short months. I'm definitely excited to go home-to see friends, family....my dog- butwhenever I think about stepping on that plane I get a little knot in my throat. I've learned somuch about myself, about being on my own, and I guess about life in general. It will beinteresting, to say the least, to return to Canada and pick up right where I left off lastSeptember, when I have grown so much as a person.

Now that I've gone on my brief Italian life guru speech, I figure it’s time to updateeveryone on what I've been up to...since I'm really bad at uploading pictures to Facebook. InApril, I was lucky enough to travel around Italy with my host family, to cities like Florence,Rome (twice in the same week!), Assisi, Sanremo, and the region of Tuscany. My schedulebasically consisted of pack, travel to a new city, see all the monuments, go home for 2 days,repack, and repeat. Travelling through Italy is really unique since each region has its owndishes, landscapes, and accents, not to mention dialects. Also it was cool to tell people "I'm sorryI can't go...I'm at my house in Tuscany that day”.

May 2017

The second timeI went to Rome wasthrough a trip that myRotary Districtorganized for all of usexchange kids. Duringthe trip I was pleasantlysurprised that I didn'ttrip on the Romanstreets because for somereason, me andcobblestones streetsjust don't seem to getalong.

In Sanremo, aseaside town nearFrance, my host sistercompeted in aninternational dancecompetition, with over20 other countriesdancing, singing, andputting on fashionshows. And in thehour before my hostsister had to dance,with an eyeshadowpalette in one handand eyeliner in theother, I officiallybecame a Dance Mom,applying makeup to 12-18 year old girls with a speed that Usain Bolt himself would besurprised by.

Apart from my adventures in other parts of Italy, I also enjoyed my time closer to home.On the lake on which I live, Garda, it's becoming more and more beautiful as the days pass andthe temperature rises. I was so lucky to be placed on a lake, just like I am in Burlington. Alsothe panoramic view of the lake and mountains in the background from my school make themornings just a tad easier.

And to the new Outbounds who might be reading this, because I know last year I was readingEVERYTHING I could about exchange: Enjoy your exchange to the fullest! Live every day likeit's the last day you're there, and even if that means that you need to stay home and do nothing afew times a week, do that too. Exchange is about learning who you are and what you need, andwhen times get hard just remember that this year is what YOU make it.

May 2017

Lastly...I've left a bit of my heart inall the places I've visited, with allthe people that I've met during thisyear, and when I leave in July, Ithink I'll leave the biggest pieceyet here in Italy. Home truly isn't aplace, but the people and theexperiences that you have there.This whole year has been anadventure that I thank Rotary forso much, and I am so happy thatexchange is an opportunity that iscontinuously offered all over theworld.

Thank you to everyone who supported me throughout this year, and made my exchange as greatas it was!!

Migliori auguri,

Camila)